Planning to fix a muddy run by turning it into a "sandbox", good idea?

[Granolamom]

When we built our 15X30 run at the end of our (sloped) yard, we did not realize that it would turn into a mudpit during rainy weather, and that's exactly what we have now. The run is so muddy and stinky, that the hens spend the entire day in the yard, and only go into their run to get to the henhouse where they sleep at night.
We've thought about several options, one of them being to dig a trench all around the run, and then fill it with gravel, but since our yard has tons of roots and rocks in the ground, this would be a huge project we really don't have time for.
As an easier and quicker fix I thought about building a sandbox border around the run, and filling the entire thing with 4-6 inches of course sand. Is there any reason this would not work?

 

[broodfowl100]

sand is a good thing im going to do the same

 

[Rusty's Ranch]

We put sand in our run and love it. Just had our first rain of the season and everything drained well - no mess, it's great. Sand is easy to keep clean too. A side benefit, my chickens use it as grit.

 

[They Call Me Pete]

I have grass/leaves then rake it up and add it to my compost pile.

 

[Sissy]

I am dealing with a mud hole of a run.
Imay have to try this I have tried gravel and it just sank into the mud.

 

[Opa]

Sand is probably the best thing you could use for your run.

 

[LovinMyHensInNC!]

I have been waiting patiently for my DH to bring me a truck full of sand! Although I am putting it in my chicken house which is converted from a horse stall.

I think it is a swell idea!

 

[elmo]

I love the sand in my run; I'm planning on putting a layer of it down in my winter coop, too.

One thing about the border: you wouldn't want to put it down so tightly that it hinders water from seeping out from under it into the surrounding ground.

 

[CHIC]

Isn't sand kinda expensive? I use straw and put it in my compost. I don't know though. The chickens make me really mad because they just scratch it all up under the henhouse. Anyone else have this problem?

 

[gsim]

Coarse sand may be the answer. I am in Knox Co Tennessee. My run is grassy, but I have 1/3 of it fenced off to grow the grass I recently cultivated and seeded there. That puts a extra traffic burden on the rest of the run and it has gotten muddy in spots this week due to heavy non-stop rain here. I am adding coarse sand to the path that is being worn between the gate and hen house. It will double as a cheap source of grit too. Only thing that has saved my bacon so far is that my site slopes somewhat, so no water ever stands in it. That is a must for any chicken run for optimum health.